Light it up: From Paris to Vegas, No. 1 South Carolina hopes to again excel in high-profile opener

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina began its run to perfection a year ago in the City of Lights.

A season after its Paris opening, the top-ranked Gamecocks begin the defense of their national title in another high-glam, glitzy locale when they take on Michigan in Las Vegas on Monday night.

“What do I like about it?” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said Friday.

Where should she start?

First, Staley said big-time games like last year's 100-71 win over 10th-ranked Notre Dame gave a chance for the unknown, talented, but untested Gamecocks to find out what they had.

It was also a bonding experience where players, several who had not been out of the country, visited landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum to view the “Mona Lisa.”

Staley knows this will be a different experience. There's not so much need for getting to know each other since the bulk of last year's undefeated, national title-winning squad is back. But Staley wants to see them under pressure against a top-level opponent like the Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference, who've received six NCAA Tournament berths the past seven seasons.

“Yeah, it's good to do that,” Staley said.

Her Gamecocks appear ready for the season to start. Sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley was an unpolished player when she played her first game in Paris. But that talent shown through with even the great Magic Johnson taking notice of Fulwiley's full-court rush with a behind the back finish.

Fulwiley acknowledged she had some growing to do to fit into Staley's rotation and, eventually, she became a reliable, high-quality piece of a championship team. Fulwiley was the first freshman named Southeastern Conference Tournament MVP after averaging 14.3 points in three games, including 24 in the final over LSU.

Fulwiley said the trip last season was a great starting point for a team that needed to prove itself. This group, Fulwiley said, was built on its strong chemistry this offseason and she thinks this trip can start another successful run.

“I’m just excited to be there and just have the chance to do what we love doing,” Fulwiley said.

Michigan won't be the only test on South Carolina's schedule. The Gamecocks play No. 9 N.C. State in their second game on Nov. 10 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will face No. 5 UCLA, No. 8 Iowa State and No. 11 Duke all within the season's first month.

Staley is eager to see if her players can withstand the challenging stretch. She has largely liked the effort and attention to detail her team has shown during fall camp and knows the players are itching to get the ball rolling once more, no matter the location.

Travel to Paris made family and friends in the stands a luxury during the week or so in France. That won't be the case in Las Vegas, according to Staley, who's already heard from plenty of her teams' “FAMS," who plan on attending.

“But we'll do a good job of making sure it's a business trip, just like Paris was for us," said Staley, who's won three national titles in 16 previous seasons at South Carolina.

Fulwiley and her teammates are pointing toward a second straight NCAA title and third in four seasons. The goal all offseason was to enhance the positives from last year and show that losing leading scorer and rebounder in 6-foot-7 Kamilla Cardoso does not have to slow South Carolina this season.

Their game in Las Vegas is where the show begins, Fulwiley said.

“I just think we need to go out there and put everybody on notice,” she said. “We're No. 1 this year, but that doesn't mean anything to us. We're just trying to work hard, go out there and just show the whole world we've been practicing.”